Lithuania’s first hydrogen-powered ship hits the waterLithuania’s first hydrogen-powered ship hits the water
Klaipėda Port’s 42-metre waste collection tanker ready for engine room works, including hydrogen fuel cell and battery power.

Klaipėda State Seaport Authority announced the launch of the first green hydrogen and electricity-powered ship in Lithuania, under construction by West Baltic Shipyard and Baltic Workboats.
The €12m, 42-metre long tanker is destined for deployment at Klaipėda port, collecting waste such as storm water, sewage, sludge and garbage, including from vessels entering the port, with a capacity for 400 cu m of liquid waste.
Progress on the ship so far comprises hull fabrication and painting, with piping, valves, coolers, shaft lines, rudder feathers, heat and fire insulation installed. Now in the water, the next steps are installation of the engine room equipment, fitting out the interior of the wheelhouse, electrical wiring and main electrical engines installation, as well as installation of the hydrogen system.
"At the moment, the tanker is getting used to the seaport water, so to speak, and at the end of the year we expect it to start its important mission of taking care of the clean seaport environment. Such a decision will not leave a footprint on nature, but it will certainly leave a strong mark on our path to a greener future", - says Algis Latakas, director general of Klaipėda State Seaport Authority.
The ship will be equipped with special tanks and a modern rainwater treatment plant that will allow the treated water to be transferred to the city's sewage treatment plants. The ship will be capable of continuous operation up to 36 hours, its electric motors powered by 2,000 kWh batteries and the hydrogen fuel cell system.
Arnoldas Šileika, CEO of the VLG Group, said: "We are proud that the portfolio of green ships being designed and built in Klaipėda has been expanded with a unique Lithuanian project. It is a testimony to the successful development of a green shipping ecosystem, with close cooperation between our port and the maritime engineering industry, which has the necessary competences and technological capabilities. By creating high added value, we contribute to the implementation of sustainability goals and strengthen the public confidence that innovative solutions that reduce emissions and ensure a clean environment are the future of Klaipėda and Lithuania".
Hydrogen fuel cells use hydrogen as a fuel to produce electric energy, with pure water as the only byproduct, eliminating operational GHG emissions and pollutants. If the hydrogen used is produced by electrolysis powered by renewable energy, hydrogen can have near zero lifecycle GHG emissions as a fuel.
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